“What’s Up Wednesday” is a fun weekly meme started by my friends Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk. From Jaime: It’s similar in some respects to the Currently… post, but it’s been whittled down to only four headings to make it quicker and more manageable on a weekly basis. You’re invited to join us if you’re looking for something to blog about, a way to let your blog friends know what’s been going on with you. If you’re participating, make sure to link your What’s Up Wednesday posts to the list on Jaime’s blog each week. That way, others can visit your post and check out what you’ve been up to.And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…
First, congratulations to Alice (AKA Krispy), winner of last week’s The Baby Name Wizard giveaway! 🙂
What I’m Reading: I finished Kristin Rae’s debut, Wish You Were Italian, and thought it was super cute. I’m not a big “clean teen” reader (I generally prefer my books on the edgy side), but Italian is a fun, summery romance I’d definitely recommend. The last few pages had me grinning ear-to-ear. I also read super-hyped We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, and yeah… There’s a reason for all the attention this book’s getting. It is incredible. And that’s all I’ll say because you simply must read it for yourself. Now, I’m reading Of Scars and Stardust by my agent-mate, Andrea Hannah. I’m not very far along yet, but so far it’s gorgeous.
What I’m Writing: This might sound weird because hello, I fancy myself a writer, but I hate drafting. Like, it really and truly pains me. I love to outline and I love to revise, however, the in-between stage of actually getting words into my document is a pain in the ass. But, good news! This story I’m working on now? Drafting it has been so. Much. Fun. A total joy. I’ve been writing close to 2K words pretty much every day, and I’m loving it. I’m up to 17K+ words now, and hoping the magic sticks around for a good, long while. #HappyWriter
What Else I’ve Been Up To: Have you heard of the show H2O: Just Add Water? It’s an Australian show that ran from 2006-2010 about three teenage girls who transform into mermaids when they get wet, and it is awesome. My daughter and I are halfway through the third and final season (thanks, Netflix!), and we’re obsessed. Now, I should warn you… The cheese factor is off-the-charts, but the show is super cute and quite creative. It’s also appropriate for kiddos, yet entertaining for parents — a rare combination, if you ask me. So, yeah… We’ve been watching H20: Just Add Water. A lot.
We spent Saturday at the beach with a couple of friends and had a great time. You know what’s fun about exposing your daughter to a show concerning mermaids? Every time she dips her toes into the ocean, she pretends to be one!
We had a much-welcome break from the stifling humidity over the weekend, so my girlie, Daisy, and I made the most of the lovely weather by eating ice cream, playing frisbee, and watching the sun sink below the trees.
I got a haircut! I haven’t had so much as a trim since December, so this was a Very Exciting Event, one that obviously had to be documented photographically. 😉
What’s Inspiring Me Now: My WiP, and the Love List I made for it. Also, Twitter’s #IreadYA hashtag. So many excellent book recommendations and inspirational anecdotes from writers sharing why they read (and write!) YA. And, finally, the A Beautiful Body Project (FYI: there’s nudity all over this site — really beautiful, artistic nudity, but still… Maybe don’t click the link while you’re at work). The ABBP is a “movement of women coming together to tell their stories and celebrate their ever-changing bodies so that future generations of women can live free from self-suffering.” It was founded by Jade Beall and her partner,Alok Appadurai, and it’s pretty amazing. Appreciating women and their natural, non-airbrushed, beautiful bodies? Count me in!
What’s up with you today?
Katy Upperman ~ Author 
I’m not a big “clean teen” reader myself, I’ve always preferred edge in my books, but Italian looks really fun. I have Of Scars and Stardust to read as well and I’m so looking forward to it! Looking forward to hearing what you think 🙂 So glad you’re having fun drafting, especially since it’s usually a painful process for you. Also, H2O Just Add Water – ah, this brings back memories; I was a big fan of the show many years ago. I’m glad to hear both you and your daughter are enjoying it!
I can’t believe how many people have heard of/watched H2O! We just randomly picked it from Netflix — it’s really fun! You’ll have to read OF SCARS AND SCARDUST soon so we can chat. I’m about 1/4 through and I’m really enjoying it. Have a great week, Rebecca!
We Were Liars is currently sitting in my Book Depository basket, waiting to be loved, and I think you’ve convinced me to give it a go, Katy 🙂 I’ve heard nothing but good things, so I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.
H20 is on just about every day Down Under, haha! Have you heard of Dance Academy? That’s another Aussie one with a major cheese factor, but I hear it has a weird cult following in the US, so…
Best of luck with the drafting, sounds like your Love List is the perfect way to keep you motivated 🙂
I’ve been telling everyone I know to buy WE WERE LIARS — it is SO good. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed at all. Please let me know what you think after you’ve read! And no, I haven’t watched Dance Academy, but you’re right about it having a little cult following. I’ve heard it talked about many times times — all good things. Have a great week, lady!
Okay if you liked H20, you MUST try Dance Academy! It is amazing and also on Netflix. Not appropriate for the girlie because it deals with some eating issues, etc…but the first episode or so she could definitely watch. I haven’t seen H20. When I lived in Australia, I was obsessed with Dance Academy as well as Offspring, which was like the office Aussie version of Grey’s. Sadly you can’t find it anywhere except online or else I’d recommend it for sure.
And oh man I loved We Were Liars & Of Scars & Stardust. With Andee’s book definitely email me when you are done — the ending took me for a trip and I NEED to discuss it with someone!
Love your Love List and the haircut! Have a wonderful week, Katy!
I have heard of Dance Academy (that it’s super entertaining!) but I haven’t watched. I’ll definitely check it out. And yes, I’ll email you as soon as I’m done with Andee’s book. I’m about 1/4 through and the writing is beautiful. Poor, poor Ella! Have a great week, Rach! So far, so good, right? 😉
Haha, YES, I have heard of H2O! I can’t remember where/when I saw a few episodes, but I loved the cheese of it.
I keep hearing so much good stuff about WE WERE LIARS, so I added it to my TBR-list.
Yay for fun drafting! I know your pain b/c usually drafting is the worst part for me, too. I spend a lot of time staring at the parts I’ve written and wishing the rest of the book would magically finish itself so I could get to the revising stage.
Your haircut looks great! I always mean to get regular cuts/trims, but that never quite works out. I put it off until it’s suddenly six months later and I’m getting split ends.
Hope the lower humidity weather keeps up for you – it’s been gorgeous in Virginia, too!
I can’t believe how many people have seen H2O! I thought my girl and I picked it out of obscurity on Netflix, but apparently it’s got quite a following. Such a fun show. 🙂 And I’m glad I’m not alone in my drafting woes. Maybe writing this WiP will change my mind about it. Or, maybe it’s just a wonderful fluke. Have a great week, Jennifer!
Glad your WIP is inspiring you! I find drafting’s either really fun or really frustrating, depending on the project. Though I’m an outliner who hates outlining, I think that the more detailed my outline is, the less painful the drafting stage is!
Have a great week!
I’m with you, Emma! I have a very detailed, scene-by-scene outline for this WiP, which is making it easy to move from section to section. Plus, this story is much more plot-driven than any of my other projects, which is really keeping things moving. Have a great week, lady!
That’s so great that the drafting process is going so well for you this time around. Like you, I have a love/hate relationship with the drafting process. I mean, you have to actually take what’s swirling around in your head and try to get it down on the page in a way that makes some kind of sense. So hard! I’m sure you’ll kick this WiP’s pants, though. 🙂
My copy of WE WERE LIARS should be arriving today, so I’m pretty excited about that. In the meantime, I’m super psyched about reading THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN. As for TV, I’ve taken a page out of your book and started binge-watching GOSSIP GIRL lol. Are you still watching? That mermaid show sounds fun. You’re so right about kid + adult friendly shows being a rare thing. Hope you’re having an absolutely wonderful week, Katy!
I’m through season 2 of GOSSIP GIRL and I kind of love that show. I’m taking a break from watching, though for two reasons. One, I’m trying to prioritize writing ahead of TV, which is *really* hard, and two, I love how the storyline of two of my favorite characters wrapped at the end of season 2. I hesitate to start season 3 because I’m sure they’re going to have all kinds of drama thrown their way, and then I’ll be sad. But I’ll definitely pick it back up again soon. 🙂 Hope you love THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN and WE WERE LIARS, Jaime… Please let me know what you think!
I’m glad you’re enjoying the drafting process, Katy. I hope the fact you’re having so much fun bodes well for the novel. 🙂
My oldest kids used to watch and enjoy H2O, so I’m familiar with it (though I don’t think I’ve watched a complete episode).
Have a wonderful week!
Gosh, Colin, I can’t believe you didn’t find H20 more appealing! 😉 I’m sure my husband would be rolling his eyes at every episode if he was around to watch. My girl and I are totally entertained, though!
Funny that you said that about my fun drafting process boding well for my WiP. Hopefully! But, I have wondered if maybe I’m having too much fun. Writing is supposed to be torture, right? 🙂
I haven’t gotten a haircut in a few years. I thought my ex-“fiancé” was serious about wanting to get married, and so had the idea of growing my hair as long as possible to match the Medieval or Renaissance-style wedding gown I wanted. I’d send my long hair off in style, since I plan to follow the custom of a married woman covering her hair in public. At least now there’s even more hair for donation to Zichron Menachem, an Israeli group that makes hair into wigs for kids with cancer. I can’t get it cut till after Shavuot, since I missed the small window of opportunity for a haircut on Lag B’Omer recently. (There’s a custom of following semi-mourning practices from the second night of Pesach to Shavuot, including not getting a haircut.)
A Beautiful Body Project sounds really inspiring. It’s a shame so many impressionable young women are getting such unrealistic pictures and messages about how they’re “supposed to” look.
ABBP is totally inspiring, Carrie-Anne. It’s crazy how warped the general public’s view of beauty is. Hopefully it’ll take the world by storm. 🙂 Have a great week, lady!
Oh, haircuts are the best. I got a much needed trim (my first since the end of January) a couple weeks ago. It was magical.
So glad to hear you are enjoying drafting this new WiP! That is a great sign, and hopefully continues. I don’t mind drafting, but the problem I ran into this last time was self-editing, which is killer.
I LOVE ABBP. Such a beautiful collection of bodies and the message is really moving and powerful. Have an awesome week!
Oh, I totally self-edit. But it kind of works for me. I usually do it before I get started writing new stuff, and it gets me into the right mindset and back into the world of my project. And I agree with you on much-awaited haircuts. Totally magical!
Sometimes actually writing is the hard part. Thinking of how you’re going to get from point A to B.
I loved H20: Just Add Water. When you’re finished you need to watch Mako Mermaids. It’s a spinoff. Completely new characters and they changed the mermaid mythology, but it’s still really good. Only the first season is up, but it’s exclusively for Netflix so when they release the second season you can marathon that
Oh, we already have Mako Mermaids in the queue. It’s up next! 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
We watched EVERY EPISODE of that Mermaid show last summer – SUPER fun. I’ve been dying to read E. Lockhart’s book after meeting her at #AWP in Seattle.
Ooh, I’m jealous that you got to meet E. Lockhart! Her books are brilliant. You’ll have to let me know what you think of WE WERE LIARS after you read it. I LOVED it!
Hooray for a happy writer 😀 That’s all we ever ask for 😉
Yes! When the words are coming, writing is the *best.* 🙂
I’ve seen bits of H20, they play it here in Canada sometimes, but it’s never been something my kids have gotten into. I remember pretending to be Ariel when I was younger- complete with hair flip- so I’d probably like the show!
I remember pretending to be Ariel too! The Little Mermaid is still one of my favorite Disney movies. 🙂 Have a great week, Melanie!
I’ve never heard of H20 before! But yay, I’m glad that you’re enjoying drafting this time around. It’s always a struggle, but I do enjoy the *discovery* part of drafting and figuring out where everything goes. 🙂
Maybe I prefer outlining to drafting because that’s when I do most of my discovering? The actual drafting usually ends up feeling monotonous. But not this time, for some reason — yay! Have wonderful week, Cortney!
I keep hearing great things about WE WERE LIARS, so I might have to check it out. I really enjoyed THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS by E. Lockhart and the premise of this one sounds even more interesting.
I have a love-hate relationship with drafting. When I get “in the zone” I love it, but staring at that blank page (even with an outline) is so daunting. It’s awesome that you’re enjoying drafting so much this time around! I hope the whole book is a breeze to write! 🙂
I really liked FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS too, Erin. WE WERE LIARS is a very different book, but it’s smart in the same ways. Plus, I love E. Lockhart’s writing style. She has this way of being spare, but really lyrical too. Loved it! And yes… I’m hoping this whole drafting process is a breeze too!
I LOVED We Were Liars. After I finished it all I wanted to do was write.
I completely understand the whole hating drafting. I have an idea in my head but it’s so hard to get it out and on paper. I wish there was a simpler way. Ha.
Have a great weekend!
I guess if there was a simpler way, everyone would have a book published. 🙂 I felt the same way after WE WERE WRITERS, Amy. It was such a brilliant, wonderfully written book. But ugh… It made my heart hurt!
I’m so happy for you that the drafting is flying along! I love it when that happens. Your haircut looks fab. I just had one but am thinking I need to go back and get a couple more inches whacked off. A “true” summer ‘do! That cover for OF SCARS AND STARDUST looks awesome. I guess I should find out what it’s actually about, huh? 🙂 Have a great week, Katy!
Thanks, Kitty! SCARS AND STARDUST is pretty fabulous far. It’s one of those books where you’re not quite sure what’s going on — is the MC bananas, or are these terrible things actually happening? It’s out this fall. You should check it out! You’ll have to post a photo of your new summer ‘do. 🙂 Have a great week, lady!
I just ordered WE WERE LIARS, so i’ll probably get around to reading it in the next few weeks. I kept hearing that it’s fantastic, so I caved and bought it.
I totally get you about drafting. I’d much rather make a draft all shiny than have to figure out what happens next all the time! lol
I love your new haircut…it looks great on you! 🙂
Thanks so much, Melissa! 🙂 I hope you enjoy WE WERE LIARS. It’s definitely getting tons of attention, but I think it’s well-earned. Have you read any of E. Lockhart’s other books? This one’s just as brilliant. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Hey…I’ll write if you outline and revise! Deal?! 😉
Kiddo and I started H20 over again. Cheesy, yes…but we love it! I can’t wait to see C do the mermaid bit sometime. I bet that’s cute.
Checking out ABBp website now.
Ha! We would make an awesome team! We’ll have to go to the beach soon. C and L can be merfolk together. 🙂
I’m going to have to read WE WERE LIARS next. I’ve been trying not to buy too many new books (except friends’ debuts) because my TBR is so massive but I’ll have to make an exception!
Yay for your new WIP! I also don’t love drafting but it’s great when you get into the groove and the words flow.
Love your new haircut! You’re reminding me how much I need one! 😉
I do not think you’ll regret buying WE WERE LIARS, Ghenet. It’s truly brilliant! And thanks for the haircut love. ❤
Your haircut looks great! And I love everything by E. Lockhart so I definitely need to read WE WERE LIARS. She is such a talented writer.
She really is! I keep telling everyone that WE WERE LIARS is brilliant because that’s really the only word I can come up with for it. Though, I suppose “heartbreaking” and “surprising” and “gorgeously-written” work too. 🙂 You’ll have to let me know if you love it once you’re done reading!
YAY for more WE WERE LIARS love! I thought it was just so beautiful and kind of dreamy. Anyway, THANK YOU for running the name book giveaway! I can’t wait to get it. (I always obsess over my characters’ names.)
Love your pics as always. They are so quintessentially summer! And it’s great that writing is going so well for you. That is THE BEST feeling, and woohoo because this is the road trip book! 😀
WE WERE LIARS was dreamy, Alice! I totally got lost in its pages and its world — and then it crushed my heart. *sob*
Hope you have a wonderful week, lady!
I’ve been hearing all sorts of buzz about WE WERE LIARS, and like you, no one seems to want to comment on the plot for people who haven’t read it yet…guess I’ll have to go out and pick it up myself! 😉
And I feel like girls never grow out of the pretending-to-be-mermaids phase…I visited a waterfall recently and sat on a rock, pretending to be Ariel! 🙂
Have a great rest of your week, Katy!
Haha! Good for you, letting your inner mermaid shine. Hard to resist. 🙂 And yes, you should definitely read WE WERE LIARS. Totally blew me away with its awesomeness!